Shining Velocity
by crazyarsonist
Summary: AU. A series of one-shots based on the scenes used in Diggy-Mo's "Stay Beautiful," Bleach's 23rd ending song.
1. Rukia

**Useless Notes:** AU. A series of short one-shots based on the scenes in Diggy-Mo's _Stay Beautiful_, Bleach's newest ending song. The title **Shining Velocity** is from a line in the song's English translation.

Rukia and her friends are ecstatic to find out Inoue's been slated to perform with the popular _Dyno-Cats_, a singing diva group on the rise.

**Disclaimer:** Bleach doesn't belong to me and neither does the song _Stay Beautiful._ They belong to Kubo Tite and Diggy-Mo.

_**xxxxxxxxxx**_

**Shining Velocity**

**1. It's showtime!**

Rukia walked on the sidewalk, a happy, upbeat tune floating out her mouth as she passed. She was the perfect picture of happiness and while most anyone would think she had a boy on her mind, they were wrong. It was quite the opposite, in fact. The reason for Kuchiki Rukia's happiness was not a boy, but a girl.

Yep, a girl. A girl named Inoue Orihime, to be exact. Recently, something had happened, which made Inoue happy, along with Rukia and their other friends. And no, you perv, it wasn't an engagement.

Inoue was well-known among her friends as a talented singer and well-known to everyone else as just a beautiful girl blessed with an unearthly cleavage. But see, that was the problem. Beyond just being a pretty girl, she was known for nothing else. Or so she thought.

_xxxxxxxxxx_

The_ Dyno-Cats_ was a young singing diva group on the rise. Originally, the Cats were composed of three members, until one of them left the group to pursue a solo career. The two remaining Cats, Matsumoto Rangiku and Shihouin Yoruichi, had a hard time finding another member to complete their line-up, but without success. For a while, it seemed they were doomed to do the act all by their twosomes. That was until they found Inoue.

_xxxxxxxxxx_

The two Cats found themselves in a bar run by an old friend, Tia Harribell, discussing their future. Both women were already considering an early retirement, but paused when they heard Inoue Orihime take the stage. Needless to say, she left them floored.

A brief exchange of contact details after and a few days later, Yoruichi called Inoue and asked if she could do a test run with them if she wasn't too busy (_"We'll take care of the food,"_ she added). Inoue agreed and went over to sing a few songs with them, until it was decided that she be the third member of the newly-reformed _Dyno-Cats_.

To say they were ecstatic didn't even begin to cover it. Rukia and the others knew how much it meant to Inoue to finally sing and make it big on stage, so they all promised to make it in time for her debut, no matter what came up. The only problem was that most of them didn't even have enough money to buy themselves a ticket to the show. But of course, being the good friends that they were, they didn't tell Inoue about it, making sure not to worry her.

Of course, Rukia didn't have any problem with getting the needed money, as she only had to ask her rich brother for it. She offered to get the rest of them their money, but their pride had kept them from taking her offer, reasoning that they'd still have to pay her back after (although it really was "very kind of her to propose such a thing," Ishida had remarked).

She snorted at the memory and continued skipping along the sidewalk, her ticket already in her pocket. The group had only less than thirty minutes left before the show started, and it seemed only Rukia had made it this early.

Fortunately, she was mistaken, for as soon as she entered the bar where Inoue was set to perform, she saw her four other friends talking and laughing with each other at a table. One of them, the one with orange hair, looked up suddenly and noticed Rukia. "Oi! You're late!"

"Am not!" She rushed over to them and greeted her other friends, all of whom were visibly excited to hear Inoue perform. "Geez, Ichigo, I thought_ you_ guys were going to come in late." Ichigo grinned in reply and took a sip of his drink.

"…Of course, it ain't just Inoue I'm here t'see," the tall, red-haired man suddenly announced. "'Sides, I heard the other two cats are extra-sexy too, eh Ishida?"

He snorted and adjusted his glasses. "Whatever you say, Abarai-san." Beside him, the huge, tanned man frowned slightly at Renji.

"Ah shaddap, will ya," he grunted. "You too, Chad!"

"You haven't changed at all, haven't you, Renji?" Rukia punched his shoulder lightly. Just as Renji opened his mouth to argue with her further, Ichigo snapped his fingers and pointed to the stage.

"Quiet you guys, it's starting."

The stage dimmed, and one solitary light beamed down to the center, focusing on a smiling man in a green hat. "G'evening, everyone. I'm your host and also your humble bar-owner Urahara Kisuke," he grinned and paused. "Tonight, we're here to see the reformation of a not-so-old singing group, the_ Dyno-Cats_ perform for the first time in-"

"Jeez, just start the show already!" Renji shouted from his corner, much to Rukia and Ishida's embarrassment. Ichigo laughed out loud and gave him a high-five, while Chad merely sipped on his drink.

For a moment, Urahara looked completely surprised at the interruption, but once the other audience members started laughing, he smiled again and resumed smoothly. "Hai, hai."

The curtains drew back and the band started to play.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it's showtime."

_**xxxxxxxxxx**_

**A/N:** Just to clarify things here, the earlier part wasn't supposed to be romantic. And yes, I'm well aware that _Dyno-Cats _is a lousy name. Nevertheless, I hope this chapter gets you pumped up enough for the next ones.


	2. Barragan

**Useless Notes: **Renowned gang lord Barragan Luisenbarn is getting old and his time on Earth gets shorter by the day. His gang members are aware of this, and they quarrel among themselves, hoping that Barragan's replacement will be coming from their group.

**Disclaimer:** Bleach doesn't belong to me and neither does the song _Stay Beautiful._ They belong to Kubo Tite and Diggy-Mo.

_**xxxxxxxxxx**_

**Shining Velocity**

**2. Me next! **

The news had become obvious even before it broke out.

Renowned mob boss and gang lord Barragan Luisenbarn, was getting old and his joints weren't as good as they used to be. Sooner or later, he would have to kick the bucket and have to entrust his entire kingdom and earnings to a suitable replacement. The thing was, he never married, leaving him no automatic replacement to his leadership.

However, something as petty as a non-existent child didn't seem to bother Barragan and the rest of his boys. For Barragan, he felt that if he waited long enough, the right choice would come out and make itself present. For his gang members, they were confident enough that their boss's position would be given to any one of them. After all, their lifelong service and loyalty had to stand for something, didn't they?

"An' that's how it is, guys," Avirama Redder straightened himself in his seat, smiling confidently to himself. "The old man's about t'die soon, an' since he doesn't have any kids with him, it's most likely he'll be givin' up the position to any of us."

"Exacta," Findor Carias agreed and turned towards Avirama, raising an eyebrow. "But what makes you think _you'll_ be getting the position, aye?"

Avirama did a double-take and made a movement to get out of his chair. But Gantenbainne Mosqueda, ever the peacemaker, held his shoulder firmly, shaking his head.

"What makes any of you think any of us'll be getting the position anyway?" Dordonii A.D Socacchio cleared his throat. "We're nothing but foot soldiers in our boss's eyes- I don't think ol' Barragan-sama will give it up to us, y'know."

From his corner, Nirgge Parduoc grunted loudly. "You know that talk's for cowards, Dordonii," he paused, then grinned widely. "You're jus' sayin' that, but if I know better, I bet you're after the position of Barragan-sama 'swell."

"Say what you want, tubby," Dordonii scratched his chin. "I'm not after anything, since unlike the rest of you, I actually intend on serving Barragan-sama until I die."

"Aw come on," Avirama made a face. "We're not sayin' we don't like the old man anymore. We're just bein' realistic, that's all. I mean, what d'you suppose'll happen to us if he dies?"

"Then the seat of leadership shifts to _me_," Ggio Vega smirked. "Everyone here knows no one else got the smarts to lead this organization but me."

"No es exacta!" Findor huffed. "I protest!"

"Oh, and I suppose _you_ have a better suggestion, Toothpick?"

Findor glared and drew his sword. "Who're you callin' Toothpick, short-stuff?"

"Boys, please!" Charlotte Cuulhorne threw his hands up in the air. "Fighting amongst ourselves like this- it's ugly and so, so… _unbeautiful_!"

"Ah shut your trap, fag," Nirgge muttered. Once he caught Gantenbainne's frown, he pounded his fist and glared back at him. "What's it t'ya, Afro?"

"Charlotte's right," Gantenbainne finally spoke. "I don't think we should jump to conclusions, especially when it comes to Barragan-sama. For all we know, he might have a suitable replacement in his mind already."

"And without a doubt, it'll be me."

"Who asked you, shorty?"

"I'd say the same thing t'ya, Turkey!"

"Turkey?!" Avirama retorted, a vein already popping out of his head. He flexed his muscles. "You wanna go at it, huh?!"

"Let's go then!" Ggio Vega answered back, crouching and preparing himself. "Show me you ain't chicken!"

Findor leapt up excitedly at their declarations of open war on each other. "I'll referee!"

"Honestly," Charlotte sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Just like children. You'd never think they worked for someone as high as Barragan-sama. Ne, Nirgge-kun?"

"Kick his ass, Ggio Vega!" Nirgge yelled and raised his fist, causing Charlotte to bring his hands to his face in hopelessness.

Just as the two were going to go at it, the door to their room suddenly opened, revealing a huge, sleepy-looking man, also wearing the same black suit everyone else was wearing.

He opened his mouth, and it was almost as if he was yawning. "Everyone," he paused and drew in some breath. "Everybody, listen up."

"Geez, Poww, hurry it up already. You're makin' me sleepy by jus' lookin' at ya." Avirama stared, momentarily forgetting his fight with Ggio Vega.

"Get ready," Cho Neng Poww resumed his announcement. "Barragan-sama's asking for us. He said to meet him in the meeting room downstairs."

"Che," Avirama backed down irritably, while Ggio Vega snorted and went out ahead of everybody, followed by Poww.

"You think the boss'll be pickin' his replacement already?" Nirgge asked Charlotte, who merely shrugged as they followed the other two out the door.

"It's cruel, the way they fight like this while Barragan-sama's already getting weak," Gantenbainne sighed to Dordonii, who chuckled a bit at that.

"Ahh," he let out a breath. "We should just leave them be. They don't mean anyone any harm. They're just being realistic, remember?" Gantenbainne laughed in agreement with his friend, making them the last two henchmen to leave the room.

Well, almost the last ones anyway.

"Oi, guys!" Findor yelled from his spot in the middle of the room, confused. "Does this mean I don't get to referee anyone anymore?"

_xxxxxxxxxx_

"Oi, oi," Avirama nudged Ggio Vega, obviously forgetting their earlier argument. "Who d'you think the boss's talkin' to?"

The shorter man frowned, also forgetting his grudge against Avirama. "Like hell I know."

"I dunno either, but they're sure pretty," Nirgge's smile widened, not caring if anyone else caught him drooling.

"Now, now fellas, control yourselves," Dordonii couldn't help but also glance over at the three women clinging to his boss. "I'm sure the boss'll tell us all about it later."

"This still doesn't change things," Findor grumbled, still sore about being left behind. "I'm pretty sure that when all this is over and done with, Barragan-sama'll pick me to succeed him as this gang's leader."

"What was that?" Avirama gritted his teeth, while Ggio Vega glared at Findor as well. "You wanna go at it, huh?!"

Charlotte groaned. "Not again." Gantenbainne silently checked his guns to pass the time, while Poww almost looked like he could fall asleep at any moment.

"I thought I said I was going to succeed Barragan-sama," Ggio Vega muttered, also getting ready to fight.

"And I thought I told you lot to control yourselves," Dordonii raised an eyebrow. "For all we know-"

"Yo, shut it for a minute, Dordonii," Gantenbainne remarked suddenly, making everyone else keep quiet. "The boss is comin'."

Everyone, including Poww, looked up and followed Gantenbainne Mosqueda's gaze to their boss. Barragan picked himself up from his chair, but not without a lot of effort. He made his way over to his gang slowly, with the three women following behind him.

"Listen up, the whole lot you," he wheezed, still retaining an air of authority. "As you all know, I'll be kickin' the bucket a lot sooner than we thought. An' as you all know, I still haven't thought of anyone t'replace me." Barragan paused and looked at the group of men standing around him, listening to his announcement. "Lucky for us, that ends tonight."

All of the men grinned suddenly, while Avirama, Findor and Ggio Vega practiced their thank-you speeches in their heads.

"Now these three-" Barragan motioned to the three women behind him. "They're sisters: Cirucci Thunderwitch, Loly and Menoly. I've known Cirucci for some time now an' after a little discussion we've been havin', it's been decided that they start livin' in here with us."

Only Nirgge seemed thrilled with this.

"Especially since I've decided that Cirucci Thunderwitch will be takin' my place when I go."

Ggio Vega grinned. "Why thank you, sir- nani?!" Beside him, Avirama and Findor looked just as shocked as him.

"She's more'n qualified," their boss explained. "We used t'work together for a more'na couple years an' she's proven herself over that time…"

But Avirama Redder, Findor Carias and Ggio Vega had long stopped listening to his explanation, still shocked over the night's events. Dordonii A.D Socacchio chuckled lightly at their expressions, while Gantenbainne Mosqueda grinned widely. Cho Neng Poww yawned, although not out of disrespect, and Nirgge Parduoc's wide grin had vanished quickly. He wasn't too thrilled on having to serve under women in the near future, Charlottet Cuulhorne figured as he glanced at his nails.

"…'An I hope you boys'll serve Miss Cirucci an' her gals as faithfully as you've served me all these years," Barragan finished. "Can I count on you?"

"H-hai, Barragan-sama."

Barragan Luisenbarn's smile faded a bit once he saw their expressions. "Whassamatter with allayou?" he raised an eyebrow. "You're all actin' like you expected someone else t'take my job!"

But Barragan didn't get any clear answer, only hearing a mixture of groans, laughter and yawning. Behind him, the three sisters exchanged knowing smirks.

"Hey, this job doesn't seem so boring anymore, ne Loly?" Menoly turned and winked at her sister.

"You're right, Menoly," Loly answered, holding back a giggle. "We just might have ourselves a little fun around here after all."

"Now, now you two," Cirucci Thunderwitch took out a yoyo and started to play with it. "Calm yourselves. We can have our fun once Barragan-san officially gives us our jobs."

But their conversation was interrupted by an angry Barragan raising his voice at his now-cowering gang. "What do you mean you expected me to pick one of you to take my place?!"

_**xxxxxxxxxx**_

**A/N:** Dordonii's real name is Dordonii Alessandro Del Socacchio. Obviously, I didn't want to type that all out.


	3. Hanatarou

**Useless Notes: **My favorite chapter, to be honest. Hisagi, Editor-in-Chief of the Seireitei Communication newspaper, deals with phony superheroes and gullible employees.

**Disclaimer:** Bleach doesn't belong to me and neither does the song _Stay Beautiful._ They belong to Kubo Tite and Diggy-Mo.

_**xxxxxxxxxx**_

**Shining Velocity**

**3. Spirits are always with you!**

Hanatarou quickly ran inside, making sure to glance around hurriedly before rushing to his desk.

"Oi Yamada! You're late again, ain't ya?"

He almost jumped out of his seat, much to his burly co-worker's laughter. Hanatarou turned around and grinned nervously. "A-ah Iba-san," he stuttered. "Don't scare me like that again… Did Iemura-san-"

"YAMADA!"

"Speak of the devil," Iba muttered to Hanatarou and high-tailed it out of there, lest he be caught in the crossfire.

Iemura stormed into the room. "You're late again! What were you doing again outside and it took you this long? Was the sunlight too yellow for you, aa?!'

Hanatarou whirled around and found himself face-to-face with his boss, the News Editor, Iemura Yasochika. He gave his superior a little smile, while Iemura pushed his glasses further up his nose, waiting to hear his subordinate's excuse.

"What excuse y'think he'll give this time, eh Kira?" Iba nudged his co-worker in the ribs, obviously taking delight in Hanatarou's situation.

"Iba-san, I don't think now's the time for that," the morose-looking journalist muttered, going over the obituaries. "And besides, Komamura-san's been looking all over for you- your column needed to be on his desk fifteen minutes ago."

"Ah you're no fun," the bulkier man groaned, adjusting his shades. "An' besides, my boss'll understand. Writin' an advice column's harder'n ya think, y'know."

"Then I suggest you get started on it right away," a deep voice rumbled from behind Iba, who immediately started sweating buckets at the sound. Even though he wore shades, Iba's wide eyes were visible enough to Kira, who sighed and turned back to the obituaries.

"I-I'll get ta work right away, sir."

"I trust you will, Tetsuzaemon," the large man-beast nodded, then turned to Kira. "Kira, Hitsugaya needs the crosswords and obituaries already."

"Yes sir," he nodded, and opened up his drawer to find the crossword.

"You're half an hour late and you still give me pictures of your _superhero_?!" Iemura roared at a now-frightened Hanatarou. "You could at least have taken pictures of a car crash, or a high-ranking official sleeping with another woman- _anything_ as long as it's real and isn't made-up!"

"Oi, oi Iemura, what's with all the yelling again early in the morning?"

Iemura turned angrily, ready to give the newcomer a piece of his mind, but stopped midway when he recognized the man.

"Ah Hisagi-san!" he greeted their Editor-in-Chief. "Good morning!"

"Not with you yelling at my eardrums it ain't," he shook his head, while removing his coat. "Sup, Komamura-san. Everything right on schedule for the night paper?"

"It would, if Tetsuzaemon here would stop procrastinating," he grunted, earning him a panicked look from Iba. "I'm workin' on it sir, I really am!" Iba reassured his boss, while throwing his doodles under his table. Komamura only shook his head.

Just then, a short individual with snow-white hair entered the room and walked up to Kira. "The crossword, Kira? Morning, Hisagi," he nodded, taking the sheet of paper from his subordinate. "Those obituaries complete yet?"

Kira nodded silently and handed them over.

"B-but Don Kanonji really does exist sir!" a protesting Hanatarou could be heard from his desk. "A-and he really can see spirits, I asked him myself sir!"

"Man oh man oh man," Hisagi muttered, preventing Iemura from firing another round of angry comments. "What's this I hear about that Don Kanonji guy again? Didn't we establish his illegibility in one of our editorials already?"

"Mine." Hitusgaya raised his hand, which Hisagi acknowledged. "Didn't I already tell you this guy's a quack?" he asked, lowering his tattooed face to Hanatarou's.

"B-but I met him just before I went here, sirs!" Hanatarou answered just as determinedly as his superiors. "Don Kanonji was able to see my great granddad, and he even knew his name! And! And! He _flies._"

"Oh boy," Iemura brought a hand to his forehead. Somewhere in the room, Iba snickered loudly, but was stopped by glares from Komamura and Kira.

"Now look here, kid," Hisagi raised a finger. "You're new here and maybe you don't know it, but in case you didn't, this newspaper deals with _facts_, not fakes. You hearing me?"

Hanatarou sputtered, maintaining a tight grip on his camera. "B-but I-"

The phone rang.

"Hang on, we're not done yet," Hisagi said and picked up the telephone. "Seireitei Communication."

Iemura sighed and turned to Hanatarou. "Look Yamada, you're a great talent and you got a good eye with that camera of yours, but unless you start-"

"Look, out the window!" Kira pointed excitedly.

"Wuzzat? That a bird?" Iba looked out and scratched his head.

Komamura followed their gazes and shook his head. "Too big. Maybe a plane."

"Flying too low for a plane, ain't it?" Iemura suggested, momentarily forgetting to scold Hanatarou.

"No, you're all wrong!" Hanatarou almost jumped excitedly. "It's… It's…"

Hitsugaya's mouth hung wide open. "I don't believe it."

Outside, Don Kanonji somersaulted in the air and laughed loudly. "Spirits are always with you!" Hanatarou waved, which Don Kanonji acknowledged, giving him a small salute. "Forward to victory!" he yelled and charged forward, crashing into a nearby building.

"See, what did I tell you?" Hanatarou announced gleefully to his superiors, who were all staring at the window, mouths agape in surprise and shock.

"Thanks for doing business with us, I really appreciate it," Hisagi's voice broke the silence and he put down the phone. "Now about that phony superhero-"

He turned around and saw his employees staring dumbfounded at the scenery outside. "What the hell is this?!" the disgruntled Editor-in-Chief demanded. "Am I running a newspaper here or a museum?!"

_**xxxxxxxxxx**_

**A/N:** In case you didn't remember, Iemura's the Fourth Squad's Third Seat; the blonde-haired, shades-wearing man. If it helps, he's also the Vice President of the Shinigami Men's Association.

Also, the Seireitei Communication's an actual magazine the Ninth Division publishes monthly.


	4. Wonderweiss

**Useless Notes: **After going with his Uncle Tousen to work, Wonderweiss decides that he wants to grow up and be a cop just like his Uncle.

**Disclaimer:** Bleach doesn't belong to me and neither does the song _Stay Beautiful._ They belong to Kubo Tite and Diggy-Mo.

_**xxxxxxxxxx**_

**Shining Velocity**

**4. When I grow up…**

Wonderweiss had always wanted to become a cop. The responsibility of putting the criminals in jail, the adventure the job provided, and even that sense of power that came along with the badge- all of it seemed so exciting. Or at least, that's how his Uncle's friends had put it.

His wonder with the world of cops and robbers had started when his Uncle Tousen Kaname brought him along to his office.

"We weed out the bad from the good," his Uncle Tousen had explained as soon as they arrived outside his office. "We follow the path of justice and we protect the innocent from the guilty. If we do our job correctly, the innocent will be able to sleep peacefully at night while the guilty get the punishment due them."

"Hey Tousen-san," a smiling white-haired man approached the two. "Who's the kid?'

"Ichimaru," Tousen greeted, tipping his hat toward the newcomer. "This is my nephew, Wonderweiss. His mother insisted I bring him along with me today."

"Eh," his smile widened, if that was even possible. "Sounds interestin'. An' he's kinda cute too. Hey there, lil' fella." He lowered himself and gave a little wave.

Wonderweiss stared up at Ichimaru Gin and looked back at his Uncle Tousen.

"Huh," Gin drew back and straightened himself, a bit disappointed with his lack of reaction. "Doesn't say much, does he?"

Tousen shrugged. "He's just shy."

And then suddenly, the door behind them opened. A brown-haired man looked out and glanced at the two men. "You two could have just entered, you know. The door was unlocked."

Gin chuckled a bit. "But Cap'n," he paused and turned to Tousen. "Ol' Tousen-san here brought his nephew along for a lil' show an' tell. He's kinda cute too."

"It's not for show and tell," Tousen frowned. "I already told you-"

"I know, I know," Gin sang and waltzed into the room. "Geez Tousen-san, yer no fun."

Tousen sighed and led Wonderweiss into the room after him. "This is Aizen Sousuke. Aizen-sama, this is my nephew, Wonderweiss."

"Come on now, Kaname, there's no need for formalities here," Aizen looked down and smiled at him. "Nice to meet you, Wonderweiss."

Wonderweiss stared back up at him and caught sight of the label on the door. _Aizen Sousuke and Partners._

"That's right," Aizen followed his gaze and closed the door behind them. "The three of us work together here."

"An' it's tons fun workin' with these two," Gin remarked from his table, his coat off and his feet already resting comfortably on his desk. "Not t'mention the job's darn great too."

"We protect the town by catching criminals and putting them in jail," Tousen said, taking off his hat and settling down at his desk. "And like I told you outside, we do this only in the name of justice."

"Justice, huh?" Gin asked, picking up a nearby newspaper. "I jus' do this for the thrill." He scanned the first page quickly, then turned to the next page. "An' maybe for the money too," he added as an afterthought.

Aizen shook his head. "Justice, adventure, money… The motives don't matter. As long as we carry out our duties faithfully, then our goals have been achieved."

Tousen nodded, while Gin gave a little laugh. "That's the Cap'n for ya."

Wonderweiss looked around, his gaze landing on a gun on Tousen's table. He cocked his head to the side and picked up the gun slowly. And just like what he saw in the movies, he wrapped his fingers around the handle and pointed the muzzle towards Gin.

"Woah, woah, woah!" Gin yelled out in surprise, the smile disappearing from his face. "Tousen-san, yer kid's holdin' yer gun!" He leapt out of his chair and pointed to Wonderweiss.

"I already told you, Gin," Tousen said with a sigh. "He's not my kid; he's my nephew." And he took the gun from Wonderweiss slowly.

"Yeah, yeah, sure," Gin muttered, scratching his head. "That's one creepy kid you got there, Tousen-san. I can see where he got those creepy genes from."

"I'll be taking that as a compliment, then." Tousen frowned again and sat down on his chair. Gin gave a small grunt of annoyance and settled down into his chair again once Wonderweiss wasn't holding the gun anymore.

"Now, now you two," Aizen stepped in and borrowed the gun from Tousen. "This is no time to be fighting, especially in front of the child. He just wants to know what this does."

Tousen turned Wonderweiss. "That was a gun," he explained. "We shoot our enemies with it if they get too out of hand."

"An' sometimes, we use 'em if they don't give us what we want," Gin chuckled lightly, forgetting his argument with Tousen. "Like information or cash."

"He's right," Tousen nodded. "Guns are very useful if you get into this line of work. Although I try to use them sparingly; I don't approve of bloodshed and so should you."

Wonderweiss looked up interestedly at the gun in Aizen's hand, his eyes not betraying his amazement and wonder. Aizen noticed this and smiled. "There now, see. Now we've done the rest of the world a favor by converting this boy to work with us in the name of the common good."

"Ain't we noble saints," Gin laughed. "When this kid gets to my age, I bet he'll be creepier'n he is now."

Aizen turned back to Wonderweiss. "So you want to work just like your uncle, huh?"

He paused and nodded slowly.

"Excellent." Aizen smiled and turned to Tousen. "You should be proud of your nephew, Kaname. His unselfishness is showing."

"I am," Tousen nodded. "I think this is the first time he's shown actual interest in anything." He looked down at Wonderweiss and gave him his badge to look at.

"Uh, Cap'n," Gin's voice came from his desk. "Somethin' just came over on the police band." He held up his pair of headphones and fiddled a bit with the radio. "Looks like our favorite drug lord's actin' up again."

Aizen shrugged. "So? He's already paid us enough last week to leave him alone for two months." He went over to his own desk and picked up his cup of coffee. "Call me again once you find something interesting."

"Ah, that's right." Gin slapped his head lightly. "Must'a slipped my mind, Cap'n. Did I tell you I didn't like this guy?"

"You already have," Tousen answered. "Numerous times."

"That's right, I did." Gin huffed. "Doesn't deserve the money he earns, if ya ask me."

Aizen chuckled. "Well, so do we, in case you forgot." He sipped his coffee. "The only difference between him and us is, we're being backed up by the law."

Gin smirked and turned to Wonderweiss. "Y'know kiddo, y'should hurry up an' get older already. Yer missin' out on so much fun here at the office."

Wonderweiss only stared at him.

"Oh that's right," he muttered. "I forgot you didn't talk." Gin went back to his radio and perked up suddenly.

"Oh Cap'n," he sang. "There's somethin' in here y'might find interestin'." Aizen turned, waiting for his announcement. "Someone's reported a sightin' of the guy who robbed the mayor last week."

Aizen raised an eyebrow. "And?"

"I do believe you don't know each other yet."

Aizen smiled. "Why Gin, I do believe you're learning quickly," he said, much to Gin's delight. "Come on you two, let's see if this man wants to go to jail or not."

Gin almost jumped straight out of his chair and put on his coat. "Oh boy," he said excitedly. "Looks like Christmas's comin' early again this year."

"If he has the money, that is," Tousen replied and got his badge back from Wonderweiss. "Wonderweiss, you stay here and-"

"Aw let the kid come, Tousen-san," Gin grinned. "So he gets a feel of the job, y'know."

Tousen turned to Aizen, who nodded. "Bring him along, Kaname. He might learn a thing or two with us outside."

"All right then," he sighed. "Let's go then, Wonderweiss."

Wonderweiss looked up in what could be a look of excitement. He got up from his chair and holding Tousen's hand, followed them outside. He looked up again at Gin, who was polishing his badge and at Aizen, who was loading his gun. His Uncle Tousen meanwhile, was adjusting his coat and hat.

Making friends with the different hoodlums lurking around in the streets, living on the fear people had for you and bringing home paychecks that looked like Christmas bonuses… Being a cop just like his Uncle and his friends seemed so much fun.

By the time he got home with his Uncle, Wonderweiss had already decided: He was going to be a cop. And not just any ordinary cop, but a cop just like his Uncle and his friends.

He was going to earn lots of money and make it big on the streets.

He was going to be a cop.

_**xxxxxxxxxx**_

**A/N: **Being a dirty cop just like his Uncle Tousen and Friends obviously isn't the way to go for Wonderweiss, but what's a kid to do, eh?


	5. Starrk

**Useless Notes: **Solitaire is about one of the loneliest card games in the world and up until now, it was the only game Coyote Starrk had ever played. Good thing he doesn't have to play by himself anymore now that he's met Lilynette.

**Disclaimer:** Bleach doesn't belong to me and neither does the song _Stay Beautiful._ They belong to Kubo Tite and Diggy-Mo.

_**xxxxxxxxxx**_

**Shining Velocity**

**5. Save me from solitaire. **

Solitaire is about one of the loneliest card games in the world and up until now, it was the only game Coyote Starrk had ever played. There was no need for opponents, no bets were made and for some reason, it seemed to be a game played only in silence.

But Starrk liked silence. Silence was good. It was good to not talk sometimes and just listen to everything else going on around you. Starrk liked listening and he never pegged himself to be a talkative kind of person anyway. But sometimes, being alone in the silence makes you think about things you'd rather not think about. Silence was good, but it was also in silence Starrk realized just how lonely he was.

He couldn't remember the last time he went out with a few friends to have fun. He didn't even think there ever was a time. He used to tell himself that he was fine and that he didn't need anyone else but himself. But seeing all the other bar's patrons yell loudly to their friends made him wish he wasn't so alone.

He would be invited to games by the bartender sometimes, but Starrk knew it was only because he felt sorry for him. The tall, lazy-looking man had been coming into the bar for as long as he could remember, but he hardly had anyone else to drink with. He drank the same thing every night and sat at the same place every time, just staying there, playing solitaire all by his lonesome.

So he'd be invited to play with the bartender and some of the other regulars in an all-out poker card game. But Starrk wasn't too fond of betting, so it was only a matter of time before he stopped playing with the guys and retreated to his table to play solitaire again.

At first, he was being looked at by everyone else and Starrk figured they hadn't seen anyone as lonely as him in their entire lives. But eventually, the lookers stopped looking, only glancing towards his table sometimes out of respect for him. Because really, who else would have the guts to walk into a bar and just drink and play cards all by himself? Starrk wasn't someone they felt sorry for- he was someone they admired. So they left him alone to play by himself. But that didn't mean they couldn't talk among themselves and speculate on his past.

Some said he might have been a hitman for hire while others guessed that he might have been a father who lost his entire family to a rival gang's shootout. Still, some others were positive that he was the lone survivor of that big gang taken out weeks ago and that he frequented the bar to be on the lookout for anyone who had a hand in that. Needless to say, that particular story frightened the enemies of that gang and they left the place, afraid Coyote Starrk would take his revenge on them.

Starrk let them talk, never confirming nor denying their stories. It wasn't like he wanted to get famous anyway.

In fact, Starrk wasn't sure what he wanted for himself. Being alone allowed him to do whatever he wanted without anyone else interfering. But on the other hand, things could get pretty lonely… It wouldn't hurt if Starrk had at least one friend to talk to in the entire bar, but the problem was everyone else was too scared of him to be his friend.

Which was why it surprised him to see a small green-haired kid standing by his table, sipping on a small carton of milk.

Starrk stopped shuffling his cards and stared at the kid in surprise. This was the first in a long time anyone had the courage to approach his table and for the man, it was a welcome change. But he didn't think the stranger would be this _young_.

The kid- girl, Starrk noted, seeing her green hair peek out from under her cap- stood silently, staring at Starrk, while still sipping her milk. Their staring contest continued for around more than a minute and Starrk was relieved to see that no one had taken notice.

He cleared his throat awkwardly. "O-oi," he started. "Are you just going to stand there, kid?"

"I'm not a kid!" the girl yelled suddenly, making Starrk wince at the sudden noise. "Old man."

And before he could say anything else, the girl sat herself down on the chair opposite his and put her milk carton on the table.

"You play poker?" she asked suddenly.

"Hey wait a minute!" Starrk interrupted. "Who are you anyway? And what are you doing over here at my table in the first place?"

She looked at him, eyebrows raised, as if this was the first time anyone had questioned her. "I just wanna play something with someone," she finally said. "Name's Lilynette."

"I'm Starrk," he introduced himself in turn. "And if you wanted to play poker, there's a lot of people here who play that."

Lilynette frowned. "Nah," she said, looking around the bar. "Too noisy."

Starrk had to smile at that. "Well there's something we share in common." He started to shuffle his cards again, while observing Lilynette look around the bar again.

He hadn't seen her at the bar before and her first time here was obvious in the way she approached his table first. Clearly, she didn't hear all those stories the other patrons made up about him.

"Say mister," she asked suddenly, turning to look back at him. "Is it true what they said? That you lost your family to another gang?"

Okay. Maybe she did.

He dealt them their cards. "Is that what they're saying about me now?" he looked on at her in amusement.

She raised her eyebrow again. "What's that look for?" she demanded hotly. "Even if it was true, I wouldn't feel sorry for you anyway!"

"Yare, yare," he sighed lazily, catching her attention. "You came here to play and not to talk. Come on already, I want to sleep."

"I don't care!" she shot back. "We're gonna keep playing even if it takes all night! You're not going to sleep unless I say so!"

Starrk poked a finger into his ear and winced again at her yelling. Geez, he didn't expect his new friend to be _this_ loud. But one friend was better than nothing, he figured. Even if she could have been old enough to be his daughter.

"You know mister," she said suddenly, her eyes glued to her cards. "I like you. You're quiet. Not like everyone else here."

He smiled, keeping an eye on his cards. "Well thank you," he replied. "No one's said that before."

She blushed. "Sh-shut up and play! You're just tryin' to distract me so you can win this round! Well just watch me, I'm going to win this round and then you'll be sorry!"

The days went by and although Starrk entered the bar alone, he was never on his own for long. A small girl always came in after him and sat down with the tall man to play cards. Starrk would always pay for their drinks; he, a bottle of gin and she, a carton of milk. Even if the girl yelled at him every chance she got, and even if he only scratched his head silently, it was clear to everyone else that Starrk was happy.

And so, business came in as usual at that bar and everyone had nothing short of a good time while inside. However, now that Starrk wasn't alone now, it led the other patrons to think of new stories about their guy.

Where did the girl come from? How did Coyote Starrk get all the money to pay for their drinks every night? Why didn't they notice the girl come in the first time she appeared? And what made her go over to Starrk's table instead of the others'?

And before either of them knew it, stories started spreading around again. Maybe the kid was a daughter from another marriage? No, others argued. She might be the kid of one of those dancers in the bar next door- you know, the one he might have gone to first when his entire family died? Some didn't buy those flimsy accounts. They reasoned that the girl might belong to the rival gang who killed Starrk's gang before and he might be taking her hostage. Others believed however, that the girl just might be the man's reincarnated dead wife, which explained why she went to his table first.

Starrk let them talk, never confirming nor denying their stories. It wasn't like he wanted to get famous anyway.

But there was one thing he was sure of. Being alone may have had its rewards and perks, but he didn't mind a little noise to fill in the lonely gaps of his existence. He had a friend now, and it didn't matter that she was years younger than he was, or that she had a big mouth that could go on talking forever. She wasn't scared of him when they first met, and for that Starrk was grateful.

He brought his deck with him every night to the bar now and as he shuffles it, waiting for Lilynette to come in, Starrk feels relieved that he doesn't have to play solitaire anymore.

Not for a long time to come.

_**xxxxxxxxxx**_

**A/N:** Is Lilynette too young to be playing poker? Was Starrk a little too dramatic to be playing solitaire all by himself like that? Were the other patrons' stories more convincing than mine?


	6. Ganju

**Useless Notes:** Despite his terrible luck, Ganju Shiba is forced to take over his sister's store while she goes off to renew the stock.

**Disclaimer:** Bleach doesn't belong to me and neither does the song _Stay Beautiful._ They belong to Kubo Tite and Diggy-Mo.

_**xxxxxxxxxx**_

**Shining Velocity**

**6. Even Lady Luck's abandoned him for his looks.**

It wasn't a little-known fact that Ganju Shiba was as unlucky as a losing gambler. He was born without knowing his parents and grew up with only an older sister to watch over him. Unlike him, his sister was unbelievably pretty, which led most people to believe that they were either: born from a stellar-looking mother and a not-so-stellar-looking father, or that Ganju was simply adopted.

He was doomed from the start. When he was six, he climbed up a tree when his sister wasn't looking, to prove he wasn't as unlucky as people thought he was. It was just too bad Kuukaku, his sister, caught him just as he had successfully made it to the topmost branch. Her panicked and angry shout startled the young Ganju so much, that he fell off from the tree, breaking his nose and altering his looks forever.

When he was nineteen, he started a small gang of his own, with a few loyal followers (the same boys who cheered him on as he climbed up that tree). They did what they thought big-shot gangs did all the time and were always caught. Eventually, Kuukaku got so fed up with bailing them out of jail, that she made the younger Shiba get a job of his own, just so that they could earn some extra money without getting on the bad side of the law.

But even then, Ganju's luck wouldn't let up. He was fired five times in a row from seven different jobs, forcing him to remain unemployed for a long time. Kuukaku, being the dutiful big sister that she was, allowed him to help out at her shop part-time, as long as he didn't break anything, piss anyone off or do some other unlucky thing.

For a few months, it seemed Lady Luck took pity on the unlucky Ganju Shiba, as the siblings didn't have any unfortunate incident happen in their shop. Ganju put his muscles to good use by getting rid of shoplifters and carrying the heavy supply boxes into the supply room.

But all good things had to come to an end sooner or later, and this didn't exclude Ganju's sudden luck turn-around.

The news hit him one day, when he found out his sister had to go out for a few days to replenish some of their supplies. That left him to watch the shop by himself, luck be damned. But as the days went on, Ganju found himself pretty capable of doing this by himself and even considered putting up a shop of his own when the time was right. There was only one day until his sister's return and he could only imagine her surprise if she found out that nothing unlucky happened during her absence. He smiled contentedly behind the counter and fanned himself lightly.

"Hey mister, you got any soda left?"

Ganju looked up from his daydream and looked around. No one.

"Huh," he muttered, scratching his head. "I coulda sworn I heard _someone_."

"Psst," came the voice again. "Down here."

He looked down obediently and saw a small girl (she couldn't be more than thirteen, he thought), her arms crossed and her eyes looking fierce.

"Yeah, sure I got some," he answered. "Lemme get 'em from the back for ya." And putting down his fan, Ganju stood up and went inside the supply room to get her soda. "She's too young to be drinkin' soda, but hey it's hot, what you gonna do, huh," he muttered to himself good-naturedly before disappearing in the back.

As soon as he opened the fridge door, Ganju perked up and heard three different sounds happening simultaneously: a loud cry of "Now!", the sound of breaking glass and the doorbell clanging loudly against the door. He rushed outside and saw not just the small girl from earlier, but two other accomplices, running out the shop as fast as their feet would carry them. He growled loudly, grabbed the baseball bat behind the counter (Kuukaku was an avid fan of the sport) and ran outside the shop, giving chase.

"Hey, you three! STOP!" Ganju roared, swinging the bat in the air.

They had made off with quite a number of goods and the tallest of the three giggled loudly. "Looks like we got quite a lot, ne Hiyori? Ne? Ne?"

"Shaddap and just run!" the short girl from earlier yelled back. "He's gaining on us!"

"I'unno," the shortest of the three (who didn't look older than five) remarked, a loaf of bread in her mouth. "The ug'y man seems kin'a slow."

Tall Girl giggled again. "Aw Nel-chan, you're so cute when you talk like that!"

"Mashiro!" Hiyori ran, almost falling over a loose stone. "Focus will ya?"

Despite their current condition though, Nel found she couldn't stop laughing. "It's jus' like we ru'in inna race!" The loaves of bread that fell from her hands lay on the ground, forgotten. They didn't have time to pick them up after all. "Nel comes in fi'rt place!"

Behind them, Ganju was starting to lose steam, his bat not swinging around in the air anymore, but almost being dragged along the rough sidewalk. He stopped and gasped for air. But just as he did, the girls had beaten the red light and made it across the street with his goods.

He sighed, straightened himself and slowly made his way back to the store, giving up the chase. After a few paces in the store's directions, the unlucky Shiba stopped dead in his tracks, realizing that he had left the store open and unguarded. Realizing his mistake, he groaned loudly and slapped his forehead.

"Jesus, my sis's gonna _kill_ me!"

_**xxxxxxxxxx**_

**A/N:** Even in here, poor Ganju gets no luck.


	7. Grimmjow

**Useless Notes:** I live!

Small-time thug Iceringer runs into a little trouble while on the way home from a pick-up job for his boss, Grand Fisher.

**Disclaimer:** Bleach doesn't belong to me and neither does the song _Stay Beautiful._ They belong to Kubo Tite and Diggy-Mo.

_**xxxxxxxxxx**_

**Shining Velocity**

**7. Con me once, shame on you. **

**Con me twice, shame on me. **

**Con me thrice and I'm never handling money again.**

The thug known only as Iceringer walked down the road, keeping his eyes on the path ahead and his hand on the unusually large stack of bills deep within his overcoat. He pulled his hat down lower to avoid instant recognition, which might have been useless, since anyone hardly knew him or his gang or even his boss, Grand Fisher. He knew it and he didn't like it, but Iceringer figured that a job at a small-time, wannabe gang like this was better than no job at all. He bit the inside of his cheek in frustration. He'd been in the gang for three years already- three wasted years, if you asked him- and the sooner he got out, the better. Grand Fisher was one hell of a shitty boss and didn't know squat on running his own group. Maybe once he'd built up enough creds, he'd be able to convince a few of the guys to join _him_ instead, and then Iceringer wouldn't have to worry about a thing.

If only it were as easy as that. If it was, he'd do it. Thing was, it wasn't. Hence the dilemma. Grand Fisher may be a stupid man, but he was a strong man too. And the problem with Iceringer was that he was just the opposite- whatever he lacked in brawn, he made up in brains. But even then, that wasn't saying much. Because as much as he tried to deny it, Iceringer would always have the smarts and mentality of a two-bit thug. He'd never achieve the status of renowned and respected gang boss, simply because he wasn't smart enough for the job.

He grunted and pulled his coat closer to his neck. Partly because of the cold, and mostly because of the money he was carrying. He'd done this plenty of times before, doing the money pick-ups for that Grand Fisher bastard, and usually, he wasn't one to lose his cool so early on. But Iceringer had this odd feeling that something was going to happen today, which was why he wasn't as calm as he should have been. The empty warehouse his shit-boss and his shit-gang occupied was still a few miles away and he knew he still had a lot of walking ahead of him. And so, in order to keep himself from suffering from an immature panic-attack, Iceringer willed himself to calm down and instead think about how much he'd get from the large stack he was bringing along. Maybe not much, knowing Grand Fisher. But then again, you could always talk to him and if you got lucky and if the big lug suddenly grew some brains overnight, then yeah, you could expect your raise. But that was only if you got lucky. And if he actually did grow some brains overnight.

Iceringer was so lost in thought, that he failed to notice the scrawny young kid turn the corner he was about to pass. The kid was running quickly and from the way he was panting, it seemed he'd been running for quite some time. But because Iceringer was busy thinking about the one hundred and five ways for ripping his beloved boss apart, he didn't notice the kid running straight at him.

And so obviously, they crashed into each other.

Iceringer shook his head and hurriedly leapt to his feet, feeling slight relief once he felt the wad still sitting in his coat pocket. Then, he angrily turned to the kid who was still on the sidewalk, rubbing his head in surprise and pain.

"Oi. Kid." He didn't even bother to lend the kid his hand. But that was okay. The kid sprung to his feet just as quickly and darted behind Iceringer.

"Name's D-Roy," he panted, trying to make himself smaller than Iceringer's already small back. "Hide me for a bit an' you won't regret it, I swear."

Iceringer raised an eyebrow. "And why the hell would I do that?"

"They're here!" D-Roy squeaked and hid himself behind his new friend.

Iceringer turned and saw three men suddenly appear in front of him.

One of them- the biggest; the one with a flame of red sprouting from his hair- moved forward and calmly confronted Iceringer. "You best hand him over, bud. He's got something we want."

Iceringer turned to D-Roy and shrugged. "Sure. Don't even know who this kid is anyway."

Behind him, the kid gave a little shriek of fright and tried to talk to Iceringer one more time. "Please, mister! They've been after me 'cos of my inheritance see, an' they won't stop till they get it! Y'gotta protect me, else I die!"

"And why the hell should I care?" Iceringer retorted, still sore on being knocked over like that.

D-Roy gulped, looked at the three men frantically, then back at Iceringer. "Fine. Listen mister. Y'protect me now an' I'll give ya a part of it- that's ten grand in all. Ten grand! Come on mister, please, y'gotta protect me! I don't wanna join 'em!" And for added measure, the kid thrust a heavy wallet into Iceringer's chest. The surprised man was momentarily taken aback by the sudden offer, but once he tossed the wallet to check the weight, it had become official.

He turned back to the huge man standing in front of him and drew out a gun immediately after pocketing the wallet. "You got yourself a bodyguard, kid," he smirked, cocked the gun and aimed straight at the big man's chest. "Back off, big guy. Else, the gun go boom."

The shortest (and fattest) of the three stared at the gun angrily. "How 'bout I make your _head_ go boom?"

But the man still standing in front of Iceringer (why did he look so calm?) held up a hand, instantly silencing his friend. "Quiet, Nakim," he said.

"Tch," he grunted and spat at the sidewalk. "Do what y'want Edorad. Like I care either ways."

"Listen bud, maybe we can talk this out together, just you an' me huh?" the big man named Edorad held up his hands in a peaceful manner. "Got no weapons on me, see? Maybe we can talk this out civilly? Huh? What you say?"

Iceringer lowered his gun, but only a little, so that it was now aimed at the man's crotch instead of his chest. "So, talk."

"Kid's got something we want and we're chasin' him to get it back, see." Edorad explained slowly. "That's all. You ain't involved in this, so best back off an' give the kid to us."

Iceringer shrugged. "Can't. Kid just hired me 'bout a minute ago to be his bodyguard." Then, he raised his gun again. "Say your prayers, man."

"Big deal," the third member of the group- tall and yellow-haired- suddenly spoke up. "How d'you know it's _real_ money he paid you with?" Beside him, Nakim laughed loudly. Edorad meanwhile, gave them a glance, but nodded at Iceringer. "Ilfort's right. Go ahead, man. Check it."

Iceringer raised another eyebrow and turned to D-Roy, who now looked scared shitless. This only convinced him to open up the wallet, only to find out that it was filled with a few stones and a huge mess of papers. He turned on D-Roy angrily and waved the gun at the frightened kid's face. "You _conned_ me! Ya little brat! I _knew_ I shouldn't have wasted my time on you! Ya little bastard, you're gonna pay!"

D-Roy now screamed for his life and made to run off, but Edorad fortunately, stepped in time and held Iceringer's wrist tightly. "Maa, maa, no need for violence now is there?"

"Lemme go, y'bastard! I'm gonna _kill_ this son of a bitch!" Iceringer yelled angrily, uncharacteristically losing control. But Edorad only tightened his grip.

"Man, for a guy carryin' so much money, y'sure are pretty obvious," Nakim laughed, as he walked up behind the now-frightened thug, with Ilfort following close by.

Iceringer turned towards them in shock, momentarily forgetting his anger. "The hell?"

Ilfort only laughed in reply. "Well you _were_ pretty obvious, with the way you were walking you know. The only thing missing was a sign around your neck to confirm it."

"And if you don't mind, we'll be taking this now," a new voice spoke up from Edorad's direction. Iceringer could only watch as the tall, lean man with braids slipped his fingers into his coat pocket and drew out the large wad.

"Shawlong!" D-Roy grinned over at the newcomer. "Took ya long enough."

He nodded. "Good job, D-Roy, everyone."

"What- what the hell is this?" Iceringer sputtered, now remembering to talk. "Y'can't just _take_ it, y'know! That ain't mine, ya bastards- that's the Grand Fisher's money you're handlin', you don't realize?"

"Who?" a rough voice came up from the alleyway behind the whole group. And as soon as he'd spoken, the owner of that voice came out of the shadows, his blue hair sprouting out of his head wildly. "Grand Fisher, he said? That bastard ain't even worth shit."

Everyone laughed and Iceringer only scowled deeply. Edorad had already let go of his wrist, but took his gun away at the same time as well, leaving the thug defenseless. "And who the hell are you guys supposed to be?" he said angrily, no longer giving a shit about the lost money. "The new kids on the block?"

Shawlong scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Something like that." Then, he turned to their blue-haired leader and gave him the wad of money. "And stop scowling at us like that. Look on the bright side- at least you're not dead yet."

Behind him, Ilfort, Nakim and D-Roy roared with laughter, while Edorad only shook his head. Iceringer turned up to glare at the blue-haired man instead. "An' what the _hell's _with that hair color? What're ya tryin' to be- some sort of _cat_?"

But only he looked amused by this. Everyone else just turned to the man in question, expressions of surprise on their faces. Oh Iceringer knew how to work up a crowd alright. Riling up people was definitely one of his talents, and to his credit, the insult worked.

The blue-haired man stepped closer to the still-angry Iceringer. "What the hell did you just say?"

"I said," the thug continued, obviously not giving any thought to this at all. "What the hell you bleachin' your hair like that for? You look like a fucking cat."

The man cracked his knuckles. "Say that again one more time, will ya?" He glared a warning over at Iceringer. "Come on. Just one more time." And because Iceringer wasn't too smart, he was only too happy to comply.

"Pussy," he sneered. "That's what the whole lot of you are, ain't y-"

But he never did get to finish that sentence. As soon as the insult flew from his lips, so did the fist of the guy in front of him- the guy he so stupidly made fun of. If Iceringer could watch the whole thing again, he was sure he'd still see it in slow motion.

Blue's fist connecting with his jaw. Iceringer's jaw going slack. Iceringer's lean build hitting the sidewalk. Slowly, Iceringer felt his vision darken, and he briefly wondered how Grand Fisher would react once he found out his money got stolen. And by some amateur, two-bit gang, no less!

"You tell your boss," he heard the blue-haired man's voice talking to him just before he blacked out. "You tell your boss my name. It's Grimmjow Jaggerjaques. Got it?" Blue scoffed and spat at the ground. "We're comin' after your boss next. An' then we're takin' over the city."

But Iceringer couldn't answer; not when his head was still spinning. Loud guffaws of laughter were the last things he heard before slipping into the darkness and before finally conking out.

_**xxxxxxxxxx**_

**A/N:** For those who don't remember Iceringer… well I don't really know how to describe him here. He was one of Ishida's first opponents in Hueco Mundo, I think. And yes, I'm well aware that a couple of the lines here made the characters sound Irish.


End file.
